Posts by Theo Spencer

An eyebrow-raising tachikoma build

Is there a mech concept more versatile in LEGO form than the think tank? So many different variants and possibilities! The latest one to catch our eye is by SPARKART!. It’s got a touch of the Warhammer 40k’s about it, don’t you think? It must be the combination of those big blocky legs and the round dome on top. The leg mechanism looks really interesting as well, incidentally. But whether intentional or not, there’s one thing I can’t unsee. The handlebars above the eye remind me of a single eyebrow, so now all I can think of is a tachikoma wandering around looking mildly surprised at everything…

It shouldn’t be a surprise to see another great robot tank grace our pages, though. Why not have a look at some of the other tachikoma in the TBB archives?

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A tiny tank build as sweet as honey

Miniature tanks are a big part of the scale modelling community, and it’s always nice to see it cross over into the LEGO world. The latest to have a go is Jack Rumley, with this fine rendition of an M3 Stuart ‘Honey’ — an American-built tank in British service in the early years of World War II. The sand-blue and tan paint scheme looks equal parts smart and realistic, reflecting the tank’s service in the North Africa campaign. This particular model has been kitted out with a handful of custom decals and third-party parts to elevate the detail level. But make no mistake, it’s bona fide LEGO doing the heavy lifting. Check out the boomerangs used as wheel rockers!

New LEGO Icons 10334 Retro Radio announced and hits the airwaves in June [News]

We interrupt our regular programming to bring you this broadcast from LEGO. They have unveiled the latest set to be added to the 18+ Icons line, 10334 Retro Radio. It’s the second piece of vintage tech to see an official LEGO set in recent years, following LEGO Ideas 21327 Typewriter. Much like the typewriter, this radio includes functional controls that can activate a sound brick inside. But if you’d prefer to play your own shows on it, there is storage in the back for your smartphone as well. This 906-piece set will be available for US $99.99 | CAN $129.99 | UK £89.99 from June 4th, with LEGO Insiders getting early access from June 1st.

Click here to see more radio pictures and read LEGO’s press release!

LEGO Ideas dresses to impress with the announcement of 21349 Tuxedo Cat [News]

Ever thought your botanical collection could use a cat to knock the plant pots off the mantlepiece? Well, today is your lucky day! LEGO has just unveiled the latest set in the Ideas line of fan-submitted creations: 21349 Tuxedo Cat. Originally entered by user The Yellow Brick (AKA Damian Andres), this furry feline reached the 10,000 supporters threshold in November 2022, with LEGO’s stamp of approval being given in May of last year. Its 1,710 pieces include interchangeable eye colours and, as the set name suggests, a smart black-and-white fur coat. When it hits shelves this June 1st, it will retail for US $99.99 | CAN $129.99 | UK £89.99.

Take a closer look at this cool cat after the jump

A scale model in plastic kit form (no, not that sort)

Joao Nunes is sharing some pictures of his latest plastic kit. The painting is done, he’s got the brick separator and scalpel ready, and all that’s left to do is… Hang on. We’re confusing our LEGO bricks with our Airfix here! This is a very convincing facsimile of a Tamiya-style model, where instead of simply clicking bricks together, you need to painstakingly cut and paint each piece before gluing it all together. (With Kragle, presumably.) To the purist, that might sound like a nightmare – but fear not, no LEGO pieces were harmed in making this tableau. Even the box and sticker sheet are as good as new!

Learning about Iberian freight trains through LEGO

Something I really like about the global LEGO community is when builders take inspiration from their local surroundings for their creations. Sérgio Batista, for instance, has crafted this nice freighy convoy with a train from his native Portugal. Now I can’t confess to being a train expert, at least not where south-western Europe is concerned, but having seen Sérgio’s model, I’ve now gone down a bit of a Wikipedia rabbit hole reading about the history of railways in Portugal. So I can say with a modicum authority that this is a CP4700 series locomotive, with an attractive brick-built livery!

And you know what’s better than one great scale model of a Portuguese freight train? Two scale models of a Portuguese freight train! Here’s another slightly less modern consist, with the so-called ‘Nez-Cassée’ 2620 series built by Alsthom. Fun fact: ‘nez cassé’ means broken nose in French, and the stubby cab front is where they get this nickname from. Thanks for the educational trip, Sérgio!

What happens when you cross a vulture and a dinosaur?

Joss Woodyard has a thing for creative LEGO creature designs (just look at what he’s got in our archives). But since 2024 is the year of the dragon, what better excuse than to get some awesome dragons out of him? April’s entry takes inspiration from birds both ancient and present for a striking feathered fiend. It’s part bearded vulture, part Archaeopteryx – the feathered flying dinosaur from the Jurassic period. And the feathers are what really make this build stand out, using a variety of pieces from the Bionicle and Chima lines of years gone by.

These LEGO Kung-Fu Panda characters are fast as lightning!

These days, the only place I really seem to see Kung-Fu Panda material is in poorly-cut Instagram reels. Admittedly, that probably says more about more about my social media habits than the film – and to be fair, it is a great film. Thankfully, Jannis Mavrostomos has freshened up my feed with this great LEGO rendition of the main cast! Each one features some great building. An orange leaf looks great for Tigress’ outstretched palm; Crane’s wings look great, as do the rounded features of Monkey’s head and, er, Po’s belly; and I love Viper’s cherry eyestalks. But the best bit is surely the comically small Mantis. What do you mean, where’s Mantis? He’s right there on the right hand side – represented by a single plant stalk!

Upping the ante with some Nice Parts Use

F. S. Leinad is up to his usual LEGO-building antics again. This is a creation that he tells us he’s been antsy to share, inspired by one single part. Who could have anticipated that Garmadon’s helmet would make such a great nose for this bug? Not me! He’s upped the ante on this one. And while I could antagonize you all with some more ant-related puns, they might be getting a bit antiquated already. Let’s just file this build into the NPU anthology and be done with it.

LEGO Star Wars 75382 TIE Interceptor: the Ultimate Collector Series returns to its roots [Review]

2024 marks an auspicious year for LEGO Star Wars, as it hits its quarter-century. The theme has evolved and changed a lot over the years, but one mainstay has been the Ultimate Collector Series, which launched just a year after the Star Wars theme’s debut. 7191 X-Wing Fighter and 7181 TIE Interceptor were the first sets to be released under this banner in the year 2000. While the former has seen two re-releases, one of which is on shelves at the moment, the latter has not been re-visited at this larger, detailed scale – until now. With 1,931 pieces, it will retail for US $229.99 | CAN $299.99 | UK £199.99 (non-Insiders can get it from May 4th). Has it been worth the wait? Read on to find out!

The LEGO Group sent The Brothers Brick an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

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LEGO unveils Ultimate Collector Series TIE Interceptor and more alongside May 4th plans [News]

With LEGO Star Wars celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, May the 4th was always likely to be a big day for the theme. Today, LEGO has announced their plans for Star Wars Day, including a livestream event, a host of new sets, and some collectible memorabilia. The headline announcement is 75382 TIE Interceptor, which will be the next entry in the Ultimate Collector Series. With 1.931 pieces, it will retail for US $229.99 | CAN $299.99 | UK £199.99, and will be available from May 4th, with LEGO Insiders getting early access from May 1st.

Also arriving from the 1st of May are three Gifts with Purchase, availability of which will be through to May 5th or until stocks last. The main attraction here is 40686 Trade Federation Troop Carrier, which has a spend threshold of US $160 | CAN $TBD | UK £145 or more. The celebrations continue with a livestream event on May 4th, a 25-second film festival, and a coffee-table book entitled ‘The Force of Creativity’, pre-orders for which open on May 1st. More information on all that, as well as set photos, can be found below the jump.

Click here to read more information and see more pictures of the new Star Wars sets!

Tall towers are all well and good – as long as you don’t mind stairs

No-one likes a show-off. Now I’m not accusing Peter Botcher of being one – although his builds are certainly worth bragging about. But the owner of this enormous LEGO tower? That’s a different story! At the bottom, you’ve got two medieval small businesses: one a bakery, the other a small kiosk. I imagine the owners have to work really hard to get customers. But an alchemist has moved into town, and built their potion shop to tower over the others. What a nerve! I suspect it may backfire on them, though. Elevators won’t be invented for another few hundred years, and going up all those stairs may put off all but the most athletic of clientele…